KARATE: Impressive haul of medals for LKA

Stopsley based Luton Karate Academy travelled north of the border to compete in the Ayrshire Open Karate Championships last weekend.

The seven strong team, which included youngsters Megan Booker (8) and Ollie Pepper (8), who were competing for the first time and walked away with an impressive tally of 10 medals.

Booker, who only took up the martial art in March this year, led the charge by winning the silver in her junior kata division and Pepper narrowly missed the bronze position in his junior kata and kumite events.

Assistant instructors, Ryan Parkins and Jamie Pepper (both 16), impressed the judges and claimed the silver and bronze respectively in their male kata division while fellow instructor, Amy Parkins (20), won silver in her kata event.

Ryan and Jamie continued the winning streak by taking the gold and bronze medals in their kumite event.

In the senior kata division, both LKA senior instructors, Liam Mills and Mark Slattery, competed in a drawn out succession of tied rounds until the deadlock was broken with Mills winning the silver and Slattery the bronze.

The climax of the day for the club saw Mills and Slattery battle against a strong Scottish home contingent to eventually face each other in the senior kumite final.

The duo didn’t hold back or disappoint and after a thrilling bout, Slattery took the gold and Mills the silver.